


Thrice The Trouble, Four Times The Fun

by Aromarrym



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Hilarity Ensues, M/M, RokuSora, Sora's Forms x Roxas, Soroku, cliche student council president antics, hinted AkuSora, quadruplets, school au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-22 19:24:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11386782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aromarrym/pseuds/Aromarrym
Summary: Meet Sora Leonhart's peculiar quadruplet brothers: the overpowering Yuuki, the intelligent Chie and the cheerful but deadly, adorable Kiri. What happens if all four of them have a crush on the same person: the next student council president of Twilight Academy, Roxas Strife? It's a race to impress with the best of their abilities... Roxas x Sora, featuring Valor, Wisdom, and Limit Form





	1. Brains vs Brawn

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Third Times the Charm](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8231858) by [Sarah737](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarah737/pseuds/Sarah737). 



> Hey, Aromarrym here with another Soroku story. I finally found a way to conclude this cliche school AU! This one's a comedic story, but still super cheesy and aaaah, full of RokuSora weirdness. Praise the OTP!
> 
> I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Sora and his forms or Roxas. I do, however, take the blame for all the fluff and cringy flirting moments. Hope you enjoy reading it~
> 
> Here are your references just in case:
> 
>  **Yuuki (勇気)** means "courage" or "valor"  
>  **Chie (知恵)** means "wisdom"  
>  **Kiri (限)** comes from Genkai **(限界)** or Seigen **(制限)** meaning "limit" and "restriction" respectively  
>  Yakyu means baseball

* * *

**PART I**

* * *

 

By popular opinion, being an identical twin is a pretty cool family trait. You've got a best friend in your own sibling, a personal co-conspirator and a stay-at-home rival to constantly compete with.

Being an identical triplet, however, is  _twice_  as better. Not only do you have a clone, but  _two_  clones of yourself? ...Damn! Imagine the pranks you could play on unsuspecting people. You could be at three places at the same time!

But what about the very lucky, very  _rare_  identical quadruplets? Do they get the same benefits of being a twin or a triplet? It's three times the trouble, and four times the fun when all four of you live under the same special roof. Three siblings to trust and three siblings to outrank, whether it's in sports, academics or being the  _cutest_  of them all.

Sora Leonhart is part of a quadruplet family. His parents were lucky enough to be blessed with four beautiful identical sons almost sixteen and a half years ago. There's the eldest, most fearless of the four: Yuuki Leonhart, who pretty much  _crawled_  into the world with only his pudgy, baby hands (at least, that's an  **exaggeration**  from the teen himself. Quite disturbing, if Sora would care to admit).

He's straightforward, physically strong and obsessed with baseball, so no wonder some people at Twilight Academy call him  _Yak_ _yu_ uki.

Chie Leonhart, the second-born, was a crybaby as a child, but the boy's found himself a knack for his maths and sciences in recent times. The most composed and articulate of the bunch, he prides himself for his volunteer work and several prizegiving awards to be envied every given school year.

The baby of the family, little Kiri Leonhart, tends to spend more time grooming himself compared to any of his older brothers. Kiri is usually the favoured one of all four, if only for his incomparable cuteness, superb drama skills and mysterious charm. He prefers isolating himself from crowds that don't meet his expectations, the vain child, so only his siblings know how much of a train-wreck he can be underneath that adorable persona of his.

Compared to the other three, Sora believes he's quite... ordinary, for lack of a better word. As the third-born, he is quiet and perfectly plain, relatively friendly and an active band member. He does have a quick temper but it's not as bad as Kiri's, enough voluntary kindness which doesn't surpass Chie's and average strength that cannot compete with Yuuki's.

Which is  **good**. Perhaps. At least Sora isn't as weird as his brothers... right?

Despite their unique personalities and individual hobbies, close similarities between the siblings still ensue. Sora and Chie are the more passive-assertive types while Kiri and Yuuki dive head first into conflict when things don't go their way. They all love cheese and tomatoes but hate frozen peas and caramel, powdered milk and way-too-hard-boiled eggs. Chie dresses in bluish hues and Kiri in pastels; Sora in darks and Yuuki in carmine. The brothers are all roughly the same height (Yuuki has a bit more ground compared to the other three), sport the signature Leonhart chestnut-coloured spikes, their father's coffee complexion (save for Kiri, who hates the sun and has his mother's fair skin) and a curious pair of sea blue eyes each.

It's just too bad that among this phenomenon of similarities, the boys manage to have the same  _crush_  on the same person so incredibly  _often_. When this feat does happen, which really, is more likely than the four intend it to, it's a  _bloody_  fierce competition between the brothers.

Like they say, one for all and all  _four_  for one, right?

Hah. More like  _all for none_ , Sora would beg to differ. Against each other, when has one of them ever actually won?

* * *

Today feels like one of those  _not-so-amazing_  days of being part of a lucky four, Sora notes as he casually steals glances from a table right behind his older brothers. Kiri who is sitting beside him has given up trying to eat the sludge of...  _whatever the heck_  it is (gross cafeteria food can go burn in hell) and is mentally questioning how Yuuki can stomach the garbage. When the tallest of the four slams down his plate contentedly and stretches, Chie rounds the other two to share what leftovers they've got for the school worm bin ("Wasting food is shameful!" is what the boy preaches every meal).

"Sora, I require your tray. Please hand it to me."

"Oh. Uhm, y-yeah, here." the distracted boy stammers, his frantic demeanour not lost on Chie's eyes. "Thanks Chi."

"God... if I weren't so full I'd eat all of that," offers Yuuki as he sinks down on the table, cheek-first on the surface. "I need to gain more weight."

The teen swipes their scraps to one lone plate, stacking the rest to his left. "I suggest drinking more milk and consuming a nutrient-rich balanced diet, then. In fact, I believe these afternoon meals need more than just an improvement on taste. I should remember to propose that to the council..."

At the mention of the student council, Sora casts his eyes downwards. Funny, that. He was just thinking about them too— more specifically about a  _particular_  treasurer and wow, how cool it would be if he could  _win_ the school's votes with his incredible speech today and move up ranks and contribute so much more for the academy and—

 **God** , if twin telepathy or whatever it's called for them really did exist, Sora will never be able to live it down. The particular person in question does look freshened up today though, standing not too far in front of him, laughing casually with his fellow mates.

"Are you going to run for the committee, then?" he asks Chie cautiously. "There are only two volunteers for the next president so far..."

"That is so. And I have little doubt that I would lose the running if I ever do consider it, but alas, I have far too many associations to add another to my portfolio. I shall give our fellow schoolmates a chance and let them lead."

"Hah!" Yuuki scoffs, amused. "You mean to say you  _can't_  do it? Will you look at that. There's actually something perfect Chie cannot do."

"Oh be quiet, you."

Kiri, who's been listening to the conversation this entire time, scoots a little closer to Sora and pokes him on the shoulder. "Who are you staring at, big brother?" he mumbles, addressing the elephant in the... canteen.

"W-W-What?"

"What?" Yuuki mimics and looks right behind him as well, just straight past the table of populars and several friendship circles.

"Ahh, yes. I too, have wondered that for a while now," Chie chips in, his grasp on the trays tight with curiosity. "Brother dear, please do explain what it is that has you so fascinated. Is there something you would like to  _share_  with us?"

"N-No!"

Feeling slightly left out, the eldest shakes his head frantically and looks at each of his siblings for signs to inform him what the heck is going on. Most of the time, it's Chie he's trying to scrutinize. God knows what that evil genius keeps inside that head of his. "Okay, okay, I know I'm supposed to be the eldest and therefore the best out of all of us but this inside communication thing between you three really has to stop.  _What are you talking about?_  Is there something I don't know that you're all in cahoots with?"

"Yuu, there are multitudinous things we know that you've not got the brains for."

"Is that a  _challenge_?"

"Bigger bro and I are peer-pressuring big bro Sora to tell us his secret." Kiri mutters with a small voice, giggling candidly.

"Thank you, Kir." Pointing at the second-born, Yuuki then exclaims, "Well, you could have just told me THAT instead of insulting me, you dweeb, stuck in your physisicks books and mathematics stuff all day. Why, let's see you run a mile.  **Right now.**  Can't do it, can you?"

"It's  _Physics_ , but your awareness of simple vocabulary escapes you. Of course I wouldn't expect anything else."

"C-Can we just clean up already?" Sora interrupts. It's all in a day's work to break up his two older brothers' banter. Luckily, their school is used to them arguing so openly, but no one can help the stares and mile-long gossip. "You guys are s-so loud! And I'm not looking at anyone! I'm simply admiring the view, is all. Nothing wrong with that."

Kiri tugs on Sora's school shirt. "You don't want to sit with us anymore?"

"No! No, of course not!"

"Sora, you do know you are a terrible liar." the wisest of the four says. "By view, would I be correct in assuming that you are referring to a certain someone's taut  _arse_?"

.

.

Choking on nothing but harmless air, the intimidated, flustered brunette does his absolute best to redeem himself from his embarrassment. "Chie, do you have to be so v-vulgar? And l-like I'd tell you! Like I'd tell all of you! You may be related to me but you're all  **horrible**  people!"

"...Ohhhhh. Our Sora has a secret crush."

Upon their awed realization, all three huddle much closer to the third-born, scrutinizing him for an answer through means of brotherly suffocation.

The last time one of them liked someone, Kiri tried to outcute Yuuki for their upperclassman Axel's affections. Yuuki was head-over-heels for the strong, doting soccer captain, even to the point of daydreaming ("It was strategizing, okay! Like before a match! You have to have a  _plan_  to win!")

Kiri won. But then Axel left Twilight Academy after his graduation last year. The eldest and the youngest quadruplet didn't talk to each other for  _days_.

Another instance of one of their similar crushes was when Chie struggled to ask out Xion from his History class. The boy was a sputtering mess. Give him a prompt on Chemistry and he'll be singing the periodic table to you, but give him a task to woo one girl and you'd think he'd hit his head on something because he would. Pause. At. Every single word. Safe to say, a few touches and promises to win a game for her, Yuuki was able to impress Xion, much to his brother's annoyance.

From the day they first knew what a "crush" was to this very striking minute, the boys would frequently fight over a potential love interest. Kiri versus Chie. Sora versus Yuuki. Sora's first crush on Kairi was tripled over by the older two, and in the end, not even Chie and Yuuki were able to woo her because she was a little creeped out.

At the current moment, the four brothers are truced as no individual from their outside circle has been interesting enough to bring them apart. Sora liked it that way. He hated fighting. His brothers are mean competitors, and the most intense rivals he would ever have a chance of going against.

Not to mention, none of them has ever been able to keep a real and proper relationship. When you're one copy out of four, there are many options for people to exploit you. Jerks they may be, but against the favouritism and bias of their peers, blood still stands stronger than anything.

"Subtlety is lost on you, little brother," continues Chie, already listing all the instances with his fingers. "I've studied your expressions and body language. Your hominine instincts tend to fly out the window and we're left to deal with a partially-liquefied sibling when you're smitten. I cannot be sure with who, I must admit. Do tell, that violin piece you've been practicing studiously: is that something you plan to play for this special person given the right time?"

"Don't you bring my band notes INTO THIS!"

"Come on, Sora! Tell us the truth! I promise I won't interfere this time!" Yuuki is adamantly poking at his brother's arm to annoy him, which is sort of working.

"Pity." Chie huffs. "You are more likely to lose a baseball match than keep your capricious promise, Yuuki. We're quadruplets. We can't help but like the same things. But if you do so manage to be true to your word I will give up late night reading for a week."

"Deal."

"Big bro Sora, you won't lie to Kiri, right?" the youngest whispers, big azure puppy eyes attempting to win the teen over. It would have been Sora's downfall if the lunchtime warning bell hadn't suddenly rung, breaking up their group and many others around them.

"Why is this suddenly... about me!" Sora whines as they finally head towards the worm bin right behind Twilight Academy's far-off gymnasium. "Lunchtime is almost over and we still haven't cleaned up! Look, I have Graphics next then it's assembly for all eleventh graders. I'll talk then, if you can spot me in the crowd."

"You should probably give us a much harder challenge if you want to keep it to yourself." the tallest shrugs.

Kiri links his left arm around Sora's and his other around Yuuki's. "Yes. Big bro and I are in the same class. I sit next to you, remember?"

Chie, having just dumped away their food scraps, decides to make sure the worms are alright by spreading their waste around with a metallic gardening tool. "It wouldn't take a mathematician to locate you, though I happen to be one myself. You're on, Sora. I shall be the first to make you  _crack_."

* * *

"Many of you probably know me as that one crazy kid who hangs around the Clock Tower, mindlessly dangling from its sidelines with only an imminent kersplat of a death awaiting me below if I compromise my bearings, but even so, I feel like that craziness in me is actually an advantage and not a downside. I mean, look at me. I've been your council treasurer for, well, almost 365 days and I'm not even that good at math. Truth be told, I'm still waiting on the day where I'd be held at gunpoint and asked to solve a complicated cube root function or I die. Still hasn't come, thank goodness."

Laughter and amusement ring around the hall, prompting the speaker to carry on with the next part of his speech.

"Don't worry. Since I've gotten this far, that's probably proof that I can add and subtract and multiply. And  _divide_... although to tell you the truth, division is not really my thing. Four people, one cake? They can share this last quarter amongst themselves and I'll take the rest, haha.

But I'm standing in front of all of you, my fellow classmates and teachers, not to be greedy with a piece of cake, but to propose and share a worthwhile deal. As your next eleventh grade student council president, I hope to use my craziness to improve Twilight Academy as you see fit; to be able to compromise and divide my time to listen to your important ideas. Whether it's appreciation for the arts or more items for the PhysEd department, I want each and everyone in this room to be as creative as they can be. So yes. Do dream on, and dare to dangle from the sidelines of the Tower to look at the view ahead. There may be a giant fall below, but as long as we keep on climbing, our ideas will always reach the sun. Thank you."

Upon concluding his presentation, the student makes his way back to his seat at the front of the crowd, some friendly waves, applause and proud cheers coming his direction. There are awed whispers about his current place in the council, many about how he may just earn himself a win after the boy's inspiring words.

Next to a nonchalant Kiri, Sora listens to the mutters of his schoolmates. They are currently filing behind the giant doors of the school auditorium, awaiting their turn to exit. The brunette knows he's definitely going to vote for him. For a better Twilight Academy (and because he kind of has a crush), what better candidate is there?

"You have been located, Sora! Proceed towards the baggage area and confess your crimes as promised!" Chie drags his unamused sibling away from the rest of the student body.

Kiri pouts, crying out as he too, grabs at Sora, "Nuh-uh. I've been with big bro the entire time! He should talk... to... me first!"

"Hey, both of you, stop dragging me in two directions!" he stops on the spot, freeing both his arms from the deadly grasps of his family. "If you didn't know, we're kind of still at school? In the middle of this CROWD? If you want us to talk, then I suggest we don't do it here!"

"SOOOOOORAAAA! I found youu! Oh balls, don't tell me I got here last! The heck, that's just unfair. My class is way, way at the back."

The new arrival pants once he reaches his destination, one hand on a knee and the other clutching his chest. Yuuki straightens himself and stretches, grinning at the other three. Once they've all found their bags scattered by the sides of the auditorium, all four of them head for the school drop-off and pick-up zone.

"It seems we won't be enlightened about Sora's beloved until we arrive home. Thankfully I can wait."

"I hope Mumsy brought us some food. Like cheesecake. With strawberries on them," imagines Kiri.

The tallest agrees gladly, and as do all of his brothers, but something else pops into his head, inevitably changing their conversation topic. "So, what did you guys think of the speeches? I bet Naminé has a chance at winning."

"Mhmm. Her powerpoint animatic was A-okay~" Kiri exclaims, Chie agreeing along with him. Sora purses his lips as he listens to his brothers talk about what their favourite slide was and how long it must have taken the girl to draw every single one, unsure if he should speak up with his opinion.

Oh.

Guess he's the only one voting for the opposition, then. Four sure votes towards the latter candidate would have made a huge difference...

It was, of course, while they were waiting for their mother and discussing the council position outcomes amongst themselves that one of their classmates decides to approach their group to offer up his own point of view. Sora visibly flinches at the familiar sight of the person: the very same sky-blue eyed, honey blonde candidate who spoke beautifully today. Oh god.

Oh god oh god  **oh god**.

"Naminé is superbly diligent," the person says confidently. "Against her, I don't stand a chance, haha. After all, an animatic versus some funny talk about math isn't really a tough selection to work with, right?"

Yuuki, Sora and Kiri know to keep their mouths shut when Chie begins to rant at the newcomer, slightly displeased.

"If I may, mathematics isn't exactly a laughing matter. Why, if you are to take a college course on computer programming or general engineering, being knowledgeable on both basic and advanced mathematical computations would aid you so. Mathematics has been the  _pinnacle of mankind_  since ancient history, a subject most worthy of praise. Perhaps you would like me to  _tutor_  you, or maybe learn a few poin—"

"Woah, uhm, sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm told I'm not really funny, but I still try, ahaha. Chie Leonhart, right?" the blonde adds, hoping to make amends. "And the baseball captain Yuuki Leonhart, then quiet violinist Sora and cheerful drama star Kiri. I've always wanted to talk to the famous four." He sticks out his hand.

"I'm Roxas. I'm definitely not as well-known but I've certainly heard all about you." He locks eyes with Sora and grins.

 _He's joking, right_ , is the thought that runs through all their minds, even with the absence of telepathy. Roxas Strife was one of the few decent swimmers in Twilight Academy's team. The current semester finds his popularity skyrocketing all the more as he runs from being the council treasurer to the elevated position of council president. But not only that. Roxas is also quite attractive — toned muscles from sport and soft flaxen curls, with a great face and pretty eyes. He even seems to be able to tell them apart despite their likening appearances.

"I guess I could use a few tutoring classes," Roxas also mentions, leaving Chie and his siblings speechless. "I have no idea if you were being serious but if you're still offering, I'd be happy to take it. I could really use some help on calculus. Can I give you my number then?"

"Oh... Uhh, well, I... I s-suppose so. Please. Go ahead."

Internally flabbergasted, Sora clenches the fist by his side as he helplessly watches Roxas take out a pen and scribble something on Chie's arm. There's no way, really  _no way_  this is hap—

"You will have to share your time with my brothers though — I teach Science and Mathematics on Thursday lunchtimes at the library and Social Studies at half-past five Fridays back home. For tips on Drama and Music, you may ask Kiri and Sora. Yuuki... he can probably teach you to handle a bat."

"Hey, I can so do more than that!" Yuuki growls, much to his own confusion. "Don't keep the next council president to yourself and share! If you're willing, Roxas, we can do strength training together. I can so use another pal to do gym with."

"Sure thing. I'm in."

"How about me? We can go get ice cream and I'll help with making you look good. When we're done, you'll really be fit for the president role~" the youngest notes humbly beside Sora.

"Whatever you say goes, Kiri. " the blonde beams, fixing up his own backpack handstraps. He seems to be waiting for an offer from the third-born but Sora simply looks to the right, too embarrassed to say anything.

"Well, uhm, thanks for keeping me company, my ride's here now. I must be the luckiest person in the school to have the famous four willing to teach me. See you all tomorrow?"

The Leonharts mindlessly nod as they watch their classmate run ahead of them after waving a final farewell. When they can't see hide nor hair of him, Sora releases the breath he's been holding and buries his burning face into his hands.

"My  _word_." Chie gasps first. "He's a perfect gentleman with enough intellect to challenge my own. Why, I cannot believe he praised my idea."

"I can't believe it either," the first-born admits, blinking rapidly as he replays the scene in his head. "A hunk like that with a brain like yours? Maybe I should try out for the swim team. I would so love to watch him flex all day."

"Roxas listened to me too. I want him to take care of me one day."

"Were we talking about something before this?"

The smartest Leonhart responds, "I cannot seem to recall, Yuuki. But what I do know is that Roxas shall get my vote for kindness alone. Humility is most respectable in a competition for positions of authority."

Beside them, the only quadruplet who hasn't spoken yet finally explodes, disbelief etched within his expressions. "You—" he accuses Yuuki, "and you, and YOU! I can't  _believe_ — you guys were just talking about Naminé and then  _he_  approaches and suddenly you're all _buddy-buddy_  and wanting him to  _win_  and—" he inhales deeply, face a dark red, "talk about  **hypocritical** , why, if he was anyone else he wouldn't have taken those speech insults as coolly as he did, he was trying to be relateable and humorous, I just—"

He pities himself greatly for not speaking up earlier, for not offering to help Roxas with anything when his more confident identical siblings were able to. Why oh WHY—

"...You  _like_  him." Chie reaches an epiphany. "Pardon my language, but bless my hellbound soul, the person you've been staring at earlier and all the other days is none other than the council treasurer, Roxas Strife. I'm astounded that I didn't realize this before and it's only now that I'm certain of it! Did I hit the nail on the head?"

"I—"

A distressed Yuuki sighs, his shoulders dropping. "God damn it, does this mean I have to suffer through Chi's late night reading anyway? Sorry, Sora. I think I have to take back my promise with interfering. You really have good taste in people."

The boy swivels to face his eldest brother so fast it hurt his neck. "That's not fair! There is no way I'm losing him to any of you!"

"But he's not yours yet, Sora," his little brother eyes him apathetically, this scary personality change common to them when the boy really wants something. "We three still have a chance. Besides, haven't we always made a bet for other people's hearts? Just because you liked him first it doesn't mean you own him... it's always been our Leonhart way."

Bollocks. The nerve of Sora's jerk brothers! Not that they have any idea he's been carrying a torch for the blonde since the start of ninth grade, the very same year after Kairi rejected the older two and himself.  _Bastards_. This selfish competition of sorts really hurts him. Four identical pairs of eyes shine with challenging and determined glints, each brother readying themselves for a battle of the best.

"F-Fine. But keep it civil. Axel probably hated how you and Yuu almost bruised his arm from squeezing him so much." Kiri and Yuuki both narrow their eyes judgingly at their suddenly defensive brother.

The second-born clears his throat, noticing their mother pull up nearby, "Very well. We are all on the same page then. As Roxas and I were the first to converse, and I did suggest the tutoring classes albeit abruptly, the unspoken rules of brotherhood condone me to court him first."

"WHAT! You dirty cheater! There is no such rule! Last one to Mom loses, and you know I'll win him over!"

Kiri follows behind the sprinting Yuuki, also newly determined. "Roxas will realize I'm the better-looking brother. I have you all beat."

Poor Sora is abandoned attempting to calm his beating heart, his identical siblings having left him to chase after the boy he's had his eyes on for three long years. Seriously? And just a while ago they were all over him too! How dare Yuuki, Chie and Kiri go after Roxas! How could they?

With his own failure to suggest not even one activity to do with the blonde, Sora doesn't stand a chance. He isn't as academically diverse as Chie. Not as sporty or brave as Yuuki either. Compare his appearance to the gorgeous Kiri and the latter will win ten times over. He doesn't exactly have a worthy skillset either — just a useless talent to differentiate sound frequencies and notes, sing harmonies over melodies and play the boring violin.

Damn it. It'll break his heart in the long run if one of his brothers ended up with Roxas. Sora  _has to_  compete. He'll regret it like he regrets being a coward earlier if he didn't.

The one person he'd really wanted to impress and keep his siblings away from and for god's sake, the brunette couldn't even do it.

He still stands by his original beliefs of today being a not-so-amazing day. Yep. Being a quadruplet sucks sometimes.

* * *

Thursday marks Chie's chance at impressing Roxas with the intelligence he so greatly values and brags about. Rather than just have one lunch hour with the future council prez (hopefully), the genius boy proposed it'd be highly beneficial for the blonde to familiarize himself with his tutor, if only to positively ensure a friendly tutor-muse relationship when the teaching do begins.

"That's bogus!" Yuuki tells his other brothers while they observe Chie and Roxas' interactions from the sidelines. " _Tutor-muse relationship_? I've heard better lies! He's just trying to be sneaky and keep Roxas to himself, that one!"

"You've got to admit, biggest brother Yuu, bigger bro Chi certainly knows how to use his resources."

"I know I would do the  _same_  thing but it still doesn't make me feel better."

Sora, on the other hand, is too busy savouring his chocolate nut bar to care. Or rather, he's trying so hard not to. Seeing Chie hang out with Roxas with the latter's other friends over at his table makes him feel about as green as the stupid paint job on the peeling cafeteria wall. Roxas' friends seem to be accomodating of his sibling, at least. Amongst a mixed group of athletic and reserved people, Chie is blending well with the crowd. Good for him.

"Pssst! Sora, Kiri! Move out!" whispers their taller sibling when he spots the duo excuse themselves and head towards the direction of the school library. "This, we've got to see! Do you think Chi will sing another phases of the moon song like last time? No offence or anything, but he should probably leave the musicals to you, Sor."

"What do I know." Sora rolls his eyes. "You're the one who rooms with him. What has he been doing the last two days?"

"Can't tell. He's been reading at midnight as usual. Oh! And he's been on his phone a lot too! God, you don't think they're sending each other crude messages now, huh?"

Kiri pulls at Yuuki's shirt to keep him from advancing into the library prematurely. Goodness, it's like they're in some kind of spy movie with the faux sneaking and the whispering...!

He then jabs at his brother to peek just a little bit through one of the windows to check where Roxas and Chie are located. But of course. Where else would they go but what everyone else has dubbed as "Chie's Spot", a desk isolated at the left most corner of the building?

"Yuuki! Can't see!"

"Well, duh! We've got to get closer! Come on, you two, let's break in!"

"Break in..." drones a careless Sora, fixing his fringe oh-so-tiredly. "You two are insane."

**~o~**

Over at Chie's Spot, an amicable Roxas rearranges the books and papers he needs to take notes for his recess tutor lesson. The second-born Leonhart patiently awaits for him to be done, his own things already sorted out in front of him. Up close, Roxas looks a whole lot tamer and easygoing. A child-like eagerness to learn graces the teen's chiselled features — something Chie finds really attractive, if he may add.

...Heavens, all this dopamine circulating his very veins. There won't be any mishappenings as long as he sticks to his plan and stays as composed as possible.

"When you're ready," he mutters to the blonde, "you can pick whichever math topic you most need clarifications on. My way of teaching revolves around concise explanations and examples, so do let me know if I'm lecturing too quickly or if there is anything I need to simplify for you. I am always open to all kinds of feedback."

"Oh." Roxas starts, nodding thereafter. "Thank you. Well, uhm, I know I'm not too bad with it but I still need some help with integrating functions with number c. I keep forgetting how to calculate c, that is."

"I see. Scoot a little closer then, I'll write up an example for you. I seem to recall you have a fondness for math humour and ever since then I have tried not to be so close-minded and came up with a few of my own. Would you like to hear a joke just to lighten up the mood?"

"Sure. What have you got?"

He's not sure if Roxas has noticed him take a deep, reassuring breath before he says, "This one may be considered a little spicy to most individuals but I must ask: how do you  _seduce_  a clever mathematician?"

"Uhhh. Hang on, let me think."

"Bide your time."

"Hmmm... you... calculate the curve of their parabola? Or something?" the blue-eyed blonde responds hesitantly. "I've got no idea, tell me."

"The answer is easy. You take away their algebra."

Still writing, the brunette glances at Roxas briefly to see his hopeful reaction. When he's met with a blank expression, apprehension looms over him like a pile of rocks falling from an avalanche. Oh dear. That was a terrible ice-breaker, wasn't it?

The other knits his eyebrows together, "Sorry. I don't think I get it. What was the joke?"

"Well, uhh, to put it simply, it's a two-way joke. Technically you'd have to distract anyone if your goal is to get them to pay attention to you. But vulgarity aside, the most logical way is to strip off their article of clothing. Hence the bra."

" **Oh.**  Ohh! Now I get it! That  _was_  clever! Ahaha, alge-bra!"

"You didn't... dislike it?"

Roxas shakes his head. "No, of course not. I thought it was funny. I'm a little slow with getting puns but otherwise I enjoy them."

"Perhaps you're in need of a cos(gerine) over sin(gerine) then? Consuming foods before undertaking any form of pedagogy can boost the brain to make connections more rapidly."

"A  _what_...?"

Biting the inside of his cheek, Chie mumbles a sad, "Oh,  _uhm_. Never mind."

**~o~**

"UGH! Are we really going to be watching the entire exchange?"

Before the bell even goes off signalling the beginning of third period, Sora and his brothers have already left the building due to Yuuki's annoyed complaints. They were hiding behind the closest bookshelf to Roxas and Chie a little bit earlier, subject to second-hand lessons on calculus courtesy of the smartest Leonhart. Yuuki didn't want to hear any more. The other two don't understand why he's asking them if they should carry on spying when HE was the one who suggested it in the first place.

"It's all just... tutoring! He's not making a move, yet he's told some terrible cringe-worthy jokes that make me want to die a little in the inside. Kill me, if I have to listen to another quadratic function example or math pun I'm going to split my head open with my baseball bat."

Sora shrugs begrudgingly, "Chie is taking his time. He's always been like that." In truth, Chie's never been more calm and collected when it comes to impressing someone he likes. If it wasn't Roxas his brother was pursuing, he would have been more supportive of it.

Bummer.

Some three hours later, during the peak of the afternoon, Yuuki, Sora and Kiri once again await for Chie and his admiree to leave the lunch table for some quality, ulteriorly-courting tutoring. It appears that the two have gotten real close in only a matter of hours, with the former being gracious enough to even teach Roxas and his peers proper dining etiquette.

"Now, had we more dining utensils this lesson would be  _absolument parfait._  However, one must always be willing to adapt to the situation," Chie recites, blue eyes darting around to check that he has everyone's full attention. "Given we only have knifes and forks, there is no need for swapping out utensils. When you are done eating, it is polite to align your knife and fork parallel to each other on your right side. Hands remain flat over your lap when not eating. And  **no** ," the teen slams his left hand down on the surface firmly, "drinking a beverage does. Not. Compel. YOU! to stick out your pinky like so. It is not proper. It is insulting, offensive to the common folk. Never do that, understood?"

"I got it. That's actually enlightening, I never knew that. Thanks for the pointers, Chi." Roxas replies, surprisingly grateful despite the confused stares of his closest friends.

Kiri snickers to himself at the scene, visibly amused compared to a disgruntled Yuuki who is banging his forehead on the table repeatedly. He murmurs, "He's doing really terribly, fuu. At this rate, I'll be the one to win  _Roxykins_  over with my good side."

Sora merely glares back at him.

"He's a disaster!" Yuuki argues irritatedly. "Dining etiquette? Like how is that impressive?"

"I think he's losing resolve, nya. Didn't expect him to bang the table."

Ahh.  _Now_  it happens. To Sora, Chie does look a bit worn. The smarter brunette is doing that thing with his hand where he tucks his thumb underneath his index and middle finger then changes it quickly to an O shape. When he asked his brother about it one day, the other said that it spells out "NO" in sign language. Sora has no clue what Chie is currently thinking about, but he can only guess that his brother's expecting Roxas to  _sweep him off his feet and finally confess the feelings he's developed for him over the course of the... day_. Haha, that's almost sad.

"Roxas," Chie places a cautious hand over the blonde's shoulder and purses his lips. "I believe now is the time to go. If you'll excuse us," he says to the rest of the table, voice tone wavering from his disappointing lack of progress.

The other three eventually return to their hiding place at the bookshelf, with Roxas and Chie clueless of their presence. Instead of further lessons on mathematics though, they witness the left-handed Chie get daring enough to actually grab the blonde's free hand with his own and knot their fingers together.

"Chie? Are yo—"

"Studies show that holding hands imprints a greater learning engagement. It's a little unconventional but I'm an individual who believes in all ways of teaching. Please think of it as me physically supporting you as your tutor."

"I, uhm. Alright, I'll do that. Thanks."

"The guy is thanking him for HOLDING HIS HAND? My ever living soul, this is eno—"

"Shhhh!"

"Alright, geez! It ain't my fault our sibling is a lose—"

"Hey Chie. What are your brothers like?" Another voice joins Yuuki's ranting, prompting the amateur stalkers to duck further behind their hiding place. "I know we're supposed to be reviewing but. Well, I was just wondering. I'd like to know more about you and your family."

Face turning a light pink hue, the brunette blinks back at him astoundedly while he thinks of a sound response. Family? How curious he would inquire so out of the blue. Chie can't say he's disappointed that it wasn't  _only_  him Roxas wanted to hear about but. Oh, what the hey.

"If I could sum them up in one word, I must admit they're... entertaining." he says, looking everywhere but at the boy who asked. "We share two rooms amongst each other — Sora stays with Kiri and I am unwillingly stuck with Yuuki. You can imagine why I always argue with my older brother. He's a damn idiot. An incredibly talkative idiot, at that."

"Hey!" Kiri covers Yuuki's mouth and shushes him once more.

"I think he's not so bad. I've met worse people. On and on and on; they blabber for ages. So weird." Roxas adds.

"You may believe Kiri is the least of your problems, but he's talented like that. He can convince you that he's the prince of the school or a vulnerable, lost little boy. And Sora—" At this, Roxas leans in just a little bit closer to him, "Why, I can only conclude that he has more potential than he himself believes he does. He can be feisty at times, but I've yet to meet anyone who can hate him. Once you dig deeper, you'll see the boy is indubitably good-hearted."

Sora stands up hastily, not even caring if he's to be seen. He can't believe he's just witnessed the boy he's been pining over look truly interested in his family, cerulean eyes lighting up and nodding along kindly as Chie describes them to him. To think his brother would call him good-hearted...

That was...  _so nice_.

If by any chance Roxas is going to choose Chie, he doesn't want to be around to see it.

"You're a good brother, Chie. And I know what you mean about your family being the most important thing to you." Roxas comments, still holding Chie's hand. "I wouldn't ever want anything bad to happen to mine. I would always choose them over anyone."

The former agrees silently. Fixing up his papers, he begins stuttering nervously, "W-Would. You. Like to hear another. Joke. Maybe? I have brought up the one on angles already, yes?"

"You mean the,  _are you an angle of 20 degrees because there is acute-y beside me_ one? You did. Took me a while, to be honest."

Yuuki and Kiri choose then to leave the duo alone as well, unable to fathom how Chie's dorky flirting will go from now on. Fifth period is right around the corner. Their brother's time is almost over.

"If you found that amusing, then you may take an affinity for this: are you a calculus function, because you  _derive_  me crazy."

"Calculus does tend to make a sane person nuts."

"I wish to be adenine so that I could be paired with you."

" _You_... the letter u replaces guanine in the DNA code, right?" Roxas gets on his feet and happily assists his tutor with cleaning up. "Hey, thanks for the tutoring lesson, Chie. I had fun hanging out with you."

"I give you my thanks as well." he finishes, his chin raised up proudly. "You were a delight to teach. Thank you for taking it."

* * *

Yuuki's time to shine couldn't be any more evident, with the eldest brunette constantly reminding his siblings of the fact in a very vocal manner.  _Whoo_. They get it. It's  _his_  turn. Why, he sounds more thrilled about this chance to woo a person than he does when he actually wins a match.

Every Friday after baseball, Yuuki would visit the school weightlifting area which is open to everyone with a keycard. It is separated from the rest of the gymnasium by a hallway branching to an electronic door, a caution to keep their exercise equipment free from anyone who may abuse its functions. It's merely coincidence that the swimming team also has the same time slot as they do. Yuuki tells the blonde that they should meet there once Roxas' breaststroke practice is finished, making sure to add that he'd booked the entire room all to themselves. Hmm, one could only wonder what they'd be doing, all alone, just the two of them...

"Is it inescapably necessary for us to wear something as unsightly as  _this_?" A confused Chie refers to the basketball shirt and bowlcut wig he was given to wear by his brother Kiri. The youngest himself (herself?) is in a full girl's volleyball get-up, chestnut pigtails falling by his shoulders and a fluffy yellow bow to complete his persona.

"Bigger bro Chi, you said so yourself that the girl's volleyball and basketball teams are the only other ones with practice at this hour. If we don't want to get in trouble with sneaking, we have to wear a disguise."

Even Sora had to be dragged into adapting an entirely new identity. The basketball shirt he has on didn't always have a rip at the side rims (it was caused by Kiri's rough handling as he forced him into it) and goodness, he doesn't suit spiky black hair at all. Why would they need a disguise if they'd be hiding away in the first place?

" _Right_. Well then. I wish you both luck with your reconnaissance. I shall now make my way home to complete more important matt—  _ouch_! Curses! I have long since prohibited you from pinching me at the back!"

But Kiri doesn't respond as he tiptoes over to the back of the work-out area. Unfortunately so, the most sacred place in the entire sports department has another much more exposed entrance — a sliding door made out of glass to let the light in.

Sora comforts his older sibling. "Are you okay, Chie? Seems we have demon Kiri by our side today. This hairspray feels so disgusting on me."

"That makes two of us, brother dear. How I question the acquisition of this wig as not only is it ghastly in appearance, it also itches. A lot! I'm painfully aware he requires props during his drama performances, but there are some things that even those blessed with intelligence are not meant to understand."

"Door has been successfully pick-locked~! Let's go inside, big brothers!" an excited Kiri beams before fixing up his hair clips once more. The room smells like new equipment with a hint of hardworking sweat. Soon enough, the three stalkers find themselves crouching by the tall gymnastics vault near one corner of the room: their ideal spying place.

They don't have to wait long to find Yuuki and Roxas entering the room through the electronic door, the latter still drying his hair on the towel hanging loosely around his shoulders. Yuuki looks about ready to get onto one of the exercise machines — it didn't matter to him which one — and demonstrate to the blonde just how fit he is.

Impatient and headstrong as always, that boy.

"So... Roxas. You're my workout buddy for today." he starts, finding the closest weightlifting bed by him and sitting on it. "What do you usually do? What's your gym regimen?"

Roxas shrugs, thinking. "Err. I lift weights most of the time. Since I'm a swimmer, I have to do a lot of shoulder stabilization exercises. Lat-downs, bench presses, that kind of thing. Doesn't mean I'm good at it though. Then there's a bit of treadmill running to keep my legs active and yoga to keep my mind clear. How about you?"

"I pretty much do the same thing!" Yuuki exclaims, suddenly excited. "Well, except yoga. Maybe you can teach me how to in the later hours if we have time. What do you say we do some pull-ups and sit-ups, then a bit of barbell lifting for starters? I'll be your spotter, and you can be mine..."

"I'm game. Thirty each?" The blonde walks towards the pull-up stand by the sliding door. He's close enough to their secret visitors that they can see the veins on his arms when he pulls up his uniform sleeves. Holy god of gods, Yuuki was right about Roxas looking  _good_. Chie even has to pinch himself just to stop his own unacceptable, invasive staring. Being fit doesn't mean anything!

Kiri can't think the same though as he twirls one of his pigtails with a finger, his attraction undeniable. Sora has to shield his eyes. He already knows Roxas is plenty attractive. He doesn't need to see more of the guy's skin to believe it.

Wasting no time to prove himself worthy of the blonde's attention, Yuuki soon finishes his last pull-up and wipes away his non-existent sweat at the back of his hand. He approaches Roxas with a grin and offers to help hold him down for their sit-ups, leaning in much closer than necessary. "You know, Rox, you and I could get used to this," he slurs, eyes darkening with desire.

"Get used to what?"

"Me  _holding you down_ , with you  _nowhere to go_... I can change the way you think and feel and  _function_ , if you'd just let me..."

The blonde blinks back, surprisingly agreeing, "Hmm, I guess that's kind of the point of sit-ups though? Most of my teammates can't pin me down properly and I end up having to do half-arsed ones. I've got to say, you're really good at this, Yakyuuki. Thanks."

.

.

While the brunette's face falls at his failed attempt in seduction, his brothers hiding behind the vault can't empathize. The normally composed Chie is begging to laugh out loud, his head bent so low the bowlcut wig he's wearing almost falls off. "Dear heavens, that was the most priceless change of expression I have ever witnessed since watching a reaction video of a hamster being denied its meal... Absolute genius response!"

"Chie! Do you want us to be caught or not?" Sora's not really happy himself. That was HIS crush Yuuki was trying to charm, as if such sneaky tactics would work on Roxas. How utterly undignifying.

"I knew bigger bro Chi wouldn't regret this, ha ha. That was too pathetic."

They shuffle and change positions to make themselves more comfortable. "Alright, alright. I concur. We keep silent from now on."

Of course, it's no surprise that the eldest Leonhart quickly recovers from his failure. As an athlete, he has to be able to predict the pitcher's moves, initiate believable feints and keep trying until he bats a home run. He has another trick up his sleeve — not as effective as physical seduction, unfortunately, but it may just do. Though to be honest, if being more straightforward with his interest than he's ever been with anyone else he's tried to woo didn't work, Yuuki's not sure what would.

He can't give up and let Kiri or Sora have a chance. Especially not  _Kiri_.

**~o~**

Once Yuuki finishes his set of thirty sit-ups thanks to the help of the  _hottest blonde_  in this room, the two move on to bench-pressing, with one of them acting as a spotter and the other putting in all the effort. He prefers being able to look down at Roxas and his gorgeous face, pale skin glistening with sweat from the physical "action" they've been doing all afternoon.

"Arms up a bit, Roxas. I'm going to give you a bit of a lift-off, you good with that?"

The other nods, his grip on the barbell confident and steady. "Y-Yeah, sure. And... o-one! Darn, of all days to be rusty at weights, huh?"

"No way, man. For ten kilos each, you're doing good."

"And... t-two! Man are my arms burning with pain."

They continue their drills until the blonde reaches twenty-five, taking deep, laboured breaths. Yuuki stands watch, even going as far as to brush back the sweaty fringe getting in the way of Roxas' eyes. This earns him a grateful smile from the boy under him, catching him off-guard with his heart in his throat.

His siblings may believe that the only thing he's attracted to from a person is their strength and athletic build, but there's more to people than just their appearance, Yuuki knows. Geez, if Roxas would just, not smile at him like that again, maybe he wouldn't feel so compelled to bear his heart to yet another kindhearted soul.

Swapping places after the usual thirty, now is the athletic Leonhart's chance to boast the upper body strength he's been working on for many a year. With Chie, Kiri and Sora quietly spying on them, he adds an extra five kilos to each side of the barbell, totalling a hefty thirty kilograms. It's evident that Roxas is impressed when the cerulean-eyed teen nods at him approvingly, devoid of any traces of doubt. Can Yuuki keep his object of affection's attention by successfully completing this high-stake round of bench-pressing?

He struggles a bit with that first push above his head, and with lowering the weight towards his breastbone. "Oh y-yeah, that really hurts."

Roxas remains alert just in case Yuuki can't handle himself. "Twenty-nine more to go. You can do it, Yuu."

"H-Hey, l-let's add a reward system to this, Rox. If I m-manage, you'll have to give me something special at the end of our s-session. What do you say?"

The blonde may not have seen the bet coming, but being the agreeable individual he is, he willingly goes with it nonetheless. "Uhm, I don't know what I can offer you though. All I have is my wet towel right here. Or if I remember I may have brought a sweet with me..."

"Trust m-me, there's plenty you can give that I'll want..."

 _God freaking damn it, Yuuki,_  Sora curses to himself from behind their hiding place. He could understand Chie's punny approach to courting, but his eldest brother's strategy is just too much for him to handle. Had he enough willpower, he would find something closeby to throw at Yuuki's stupid face, but if they get caught spying, what would Roxas say then? They're not even supposed to be inside the weightlifting area since it's strictly prohibited to non-members. Plus, he's not as precise with his throws. Heck, they're even involving the next eleventh-grade student council president here! School rules are everything!

The third-born only manages to stay put when Chie squeezes him on the shoulder, offering comfort and wordlessly letting him know it wasn't worth taking action. Sora's grateful to his older brother many a time. He's the reason why he can't be like Kiri, with a temper so uncontrollable it's scary.

.

.

To no one's surprise, Yuuki tenaciously keeps up with his bench-pressing because the blonde's constant encouragement is too esteemed to be wasted. Once he reaches the halfway mark, a cross-dressing Kiri claps proudly (but quietly) right behind them, noting that Yuu may just take this trophy home.

"I know he's supposed to be our rival, but biggest brother Yuu really is strong, huh? I'm so happy."

"You couldn't say the same," Sora scratches at his sticky hair, "when you were laughing at Chie and his lessons. Remember, you're the one who completely turned on Yuuki when you started chasing Axel for yourself."

"You three were spying at us too? How disrespectful and incomprehensible!"

The youngest ignores his siblings, grumbling matter-of-factly, "You know I truly look up to biggest bro Yuu. You and Chie, on the other hand, are a sad team of weaklings. Kiri can't relate to that, nya."

An annoyed Sora is about to tackle his baby brother to the ground for the rude comment when Roxas starts clapping in the background, rejoicing through Yuuki's success.

"Great job, Yuuki. You really are stronger than you look." The two assist each other for their next and last activity: a simple round of treadmill running.

Gloating proudly, the brunette answers with, "I am, aren't I? Of course you were a big help to me too, Roxas. Thanks for looking out for me."

"Naaah, I didn't do much. You're more used to weights than I am. I guess I have to try harder if I want to win first place in one-hundred-metre breaststrokes."

"Dude, you've already won first place in interschool freestyle though!"

"True, but I always want to become better than I already am. I'm sure you do too." The duo mount their own treadmills at the far side of the weightlifting area by the electronic door. Tampering with the machines' settings to match their abilities, Roxas and Yuuki race upwards and downwards on one spot. Had they been watching a lot closer, the three hiding Leonharts would have noticed their brother's fleeting stares and how he would stumble a few times in his sudden distraction.

Focus, Yuuki, focus! He's barely gotten through capturing Roxas' heart for himself, and now he's running out of time. He has to up the ante and really  _cross_  the finish line, whether acceptable or not.

The next ten minutes of constant jogging is comfortably quiet. Slowing his pace and panting, Roxas uses his shirt to pat himself dry as a substitute for the towel he left on the weightlifting bed. That ends their workout session for the day. While his defenses are down, all four inhabitants in the room are immediately taken aback when a predatory Yuuki advances towards the blonde, forcing him to back up slowly towards the nearest wall.

It's a miracle the hopeful couple didn't hear Sora kick at their only barrier from invisibility to visibility. Licking his lips and blinking rapidly, Roxas stutters a baffled, "Y-Yuuki?"

"We'd make a  _great pair_ , Roxas. You think so too, don't you? You like  _working out with me_  too, right?"

"Uhm—"

Yuuki keeps his arms to either side of the blonde's pretty head, leaning close to the other's ear when he continues in hushed tones, "I'd win a game for you, you know. I'll think of you when I hit that ball to yonder side. You'd make me the happiest guy in school if you'd say yes. Be my partner, Roxas Strife."

"Well, I—"

.

.

"Why that piece of— LET ME AT HIM!" growls a pissed-off Sora, unadulterated anger seeping from his very veins.  _Keep it civil_ , he remembers telling his two unpredictable brothers, and yet there Yuuki was, treating the current council treasurer like some piece of meat to own. It's difficult to make up what he'd said exactly with the two being so far from them but still, the eldest Leonhart's behaviour is  _inexcusable_. Being pulled down by Chie and Kiri wouldn't have helped — Roxas has probably already spotted the three lurking nearby.

Still trying to find his words, the future student council prez doesn't move a muscle. It's not like he could get anywhere either, what with Yuuki Leonhart barricading his exit areas. It is with bated breath that Sora finally hears the answer he most dreaded to hear — a compliant, "Y-Yes, I'll be your partner, Yuuki."

The sound of his heart breaking is inaudible to deaf ears.

It's too early for Yuuki to rejoice, however, because just when the quadruplets think it's all over, the beautiful blonde still has more to say. "I've always wanted to have a regular gym partner. With you offering, I didn't have to ask. Sweet." he grins, unafraid to pat the teen's cheek before ducking under one of Yuuki's arms and retrieving his towel. The dumbfounding admission shocks them all so; Yuuki especially as he gapes shamelessly at the wandering blonde.

The guy seems to be looking around for something because he drops on all fours and checks under the bench. Upon finding it, Roxas chucks said item at the astounded brunette. "I knew I brought one of these along! As promised, your prize for completing your bench-presses. Sorry if it's a little squishy."

The disbelieving Yuuki looks down at his reward, fighting incredibly hard not to look severely crestfallen.

...A Snickers bar. Oh.

It's probably a hilarious insult from the gods living above because the Leonharts all hate caramel.

Ha ha ha...

"Thanks for today, Yuuki. I'll see you on Monday?" A hopeful Roxas says anyway, tarrying towards the front exit. He only excuses himself and leaves when the former nods, voice cracking as he bids him farewell. No, no, no... Yuuki isn't going to cry, he's not going to be upset, he IS NOT GOING DOWN CRYING.

"Aww shucks, that's gotta hurt, Yuuki." A delighted girly Kiri emerges from their quaint corner some time later, schadenfreude evident. The eldest Leonhart doesn't even have time to argue about what his sibling was doing there with him when a disguised Chie and Sora follow suit, their intentions purer than their little brother's.

"That," Sora starts as he smacks the athlete on the arm, hard, "is for stooping so low and resorting to shameful tactics. But this," he then gives his older brother a sympathetic hug, "is to say  _I'm sorry._  Let's go home, big brother."

"I d- _don't_ — I don't understand what just—"

"My turn, my turn! Yaaaa! Kiri's going to take center stage! Hooraay! Hoooraaay! Hip hip hoooraaay!"

"Stiff-upper lip, Yuu. We'll ask Mother to pick up some tomatoes on our way home."

"Can't believe I got rejected so bad..." the boy sniffs, rubbing at his eyes. "I'm s-sorry, Sora... S-Sorry, Chie... S-Sorry..."


	2. Benevolence over Beauty

* * *

**Part II**

* * *

When it comes to courting someone in a race against formidable rivals, Yuuki and Chie are merely amateurs.

Oh no.

If anything, the toughest and most headstrong boss of this game of theirs has to be Kiri Leonhart, Sora's beloved, endearing baby brother.

Just when Sora thinks he can finally take a weekend break from this wooing business, he wakes up to a note taped to his phone in Kiri's tiny, cursive handwriting. That's odd. It's barely past nine thirty; that brother of his should be snoozing not far from him in his own bed. His mind is too sleep-addled to fully understand the words, but when the brunette pushes himself to read it sooner or later, boy does his blood boil with envy.

.

.

_To my big bro Sora,_

_Went on a date with Roxykins~ Lemme show you what being crowned Prince of his heart looks like_ (*¯︶¯*)

_Be back before sundown._

_-Kiri xx_

_PS. Mumsy wants you to do chores again. You need to do laundry. And take out the trash. Oh, and, sorry about our room... it's a big mess!_

_I also borrowed some of your best outdoor clothes okay thanks byeee~_

_._

_._

The first thing Sora does isn't even to make his bed like he usually does. Instead, he sits upright and listlessly approaches the full body mirror by Kiri's side of the room, internally wondering what it is that makes him so out of place in his family of identicals. For goodness sake, it's too early to be having an existential crisis.

But really. He can be strong when he wants to. Can be smart if he puts his mind to it. His hair and face is as similar as his siblings', so why is that still not enough?

The musically-talented Leonhart trudges back to his bed, wanting to go back to sleep like he'd intended to spend doing on this typical Saturday morning. He almost trips on a pile of Kiri's and his shirts on the way, spilling from their shared closet and on the floor around his t-shirt drawer.

What the actual heck, Kiri? Did the guy do this on purpose? How is he supposed to know what's clean and dirty in this pigsty of a room? It's not like his brother to be so disorganized... not like Kiri Leonhart at all.

The boy's flustered older brothers frantically barge into the room moments later, the eldest in a state of irritation and the second-born feeling deeply betrayed.

"Kiri's gone," says Yuuki, clenching his fists like no tomorrow. "He left us a note saying he'd gone on a date with Roxas."

Sora sighs sleepily. "I know. I can see he's not here. I got a handwritten note too."

"Bro, what happened here? Did you guys have a fight this morning or something?"

"No."

Oh, do let me read the note," Chie tells him firmly, crossing the room and snatching the piece of paper when he finds it. A blue eye twitches in response to its offending words, prompting the boy to crush it into a small paper ball. "Bless me, he assigned you the most chores. Why, I cannot even begin to comprehend what he'd written to me! He dared to violate my privacy by hacking into my phone to steal Roxas' number, purposefully consumed every last bite of OUR cheesecake supply in different plates at THREE AM in the morning and pinned all the dirty dishes on me. That blood traitor is going to run into misfortune when he returns home."

"Why does it matter. If Mom wants us to do chores then fine, we'll do them."

Being the youngest and cutest of all four, Kiri always gets away with doing absolutely  _nothing_  around the house. And who else but his brothers are going to pick up after him? Sora looks down at his feet where many of his favourite clothes lay, swearing to god that he had folded those shirts just last weekend. This messy room was indeed an act of sabotage.

"But this means that we can't follow him anywhere!" Yuuki explains exasperatedly. "Dude, I checked the garage and my skateboard is gone. So is your and Chie's scooters — who knows where he's hidden it around. Chie thinks he specifically made sure to take action this weekend so that he could rub it in our faces on Monday, thus giving you  _no chance_  to try at all. Roxas is the one you like, is he not? I'd rather he be with you than that manipulative quadruplet of ours."

"Then you can take the bus AFTER our chores." the third-born answers like it's not that big of a deal. "Whatever it is you end up doing, I'm not coming. I'm too tired to play this game, Yuu. I want to sleep and forget I ever pined over someone who'd be better off with my adorable little brother."

"Sora..." the second-born frowns piteously. "Y-You... You cannot possibly be giving up now..."

"Having a crush isn't everything, Chi. Sure, I'm going to be nursing a broken heart but I can't change the fact that you are my brothers. Besides, why should I bother when Roxas can pick either one of us?" He digs his toes into the carpeted floor, feeling forlorn. "What I reap is what I've sown and I haven't done anything; I've not suggested an activity, I've not put in the effort. And I don't want to anymore. Please, just let me stay here."

The demotivated brunette sulks on his bed, ready to bury himself under his blankets. Three long years of pining doesn't compare to sixteen years of living with his siblings. If it means Kiri would be happy with someone who is as benign and amazing as Roxas, then it'll be okay.

He will be okay.

...

"SORA!" the athletic Leonhart isn't willing to accept his silly excuse. "As your eldest sibling, I command you to get out of bed!"

Chie wholeheartedly agrees, tugging at the duvet he's hiding under. "And as your second eldest sibling, I implore you to work with us. Let's assist one another with our chores and join Kiri when he least expects us. Our brother plays dirty, but trust the both of us when we say we will make things right. We are family, after all."

"We should have never started this whole competition thing from the beginning. Aren't we messed up in the head," the former jokes, throwing an arm around the blanket pile that is his little brother. "Whoever heard of quadruplets going after the same person. There's already four of us, my god, the least we could do is support each other, huh."

"Please come along. There is no way we can do this without you."

Still buried, the boy considers the thought. Was it really a good idea to follow Kiri? Sora would be wasting a day he could spend practicing the violin, catching up on some sleep or worrying about homework.

No more spying means no more getting jealous over whatever the youngest Leonhart has in store for Roxas. Seriously...

But Yuuki and Chie look so insistent...

 

 

 

Ugh, oh fine, whatever. It's only because Sora loves his brothers so much that disappointing them and hearing their enthusiasm die down is a crueller fate than losing Roxas. Rubbing his baggy blue eyes and stretching, he languidly peeks out of his burrow and snuggles into Chie and Yuuki's open arms.

"I  **hate**  you two. And Kiri, damn it. But that doesn't mean I'd give you up for anything." he mumbles. "You three are still the most important people to me and that will never change."

"Oh, not even the next student council president? Ya'know, Roxas really is one great package. Strong upper limbs, great mind, aesthetically pleasing fa— OW!"

"Don't talk about him like he's a thing, Yuuki!"

"Well, you are indeed our Sora." Chie says, poking him on the cheek. "Come now, brother dear. Let's start with this room, cleanse every dish in the house and assist Father and Yuu with mowing the lawn. Sabotaging Kiri's turn isn't on our agenda, but making sure he doesn't do anything against the rules is."

**~o~**

At the other side of town, a cheerful Kiri is kicking his legs back and forth on a lone bench as he awaits his soon-to-be boyfriend to arrive. It took him some effort to arrange this date without his siblings being the least bit suspicious. He's feeling pretty positive that by the end of the day he can use his charm and acting skills to wrap Roxas around his dainty finger. Teehee, it's like wooing Axel from the get-go...

Acquiring the blonde's number from Chie wasn't even a challenge — he just had to lie a bit about needing to use the calculator, pfft. Afterwards, Kiri simply had to be optimistic that the current Twilight Academy treasurer would agree to go on a date with him.  _"Roxy, let's get ice cream this Saturday!"_  and,  _"I'll pay for your makeover, nya!"_ wasn't really enough to sell it. No, he had to say something... convincing. Something like,  _"It'd make me super happy if you come! In return, I'll totally help you with whatever you need!_

_Also... there's something I have to tell you in person. It can't wait."_

A favour for a favour; a classic manipulation technique the talented brunette has truly mastered. Adding a secret to disclose ups the mystery factor, much like the cliffhangers in day-to-day television drama.

If he was ever in doubt, Kiri could just play it off and use his cuteness to his advantage. With his brothers back at home left to deal with their house chores, he's free to be as shameless as possible without them judging him afterwards.

Hah. People are so easy to exploit.

Azure eyes sparkle when he sees his target quickly approaching him, steeling himself to get in character. Roxas actually  _ran_. Kiri blinks twice at the sight of his blonde companion, all hunched over in exhaustion. Aww.

He then takes a soft handkerchief and dares to use it on the boy's face, carefully cleaning him up.

"Hnn. You didn't have to run here, Roxy. The day's still young."

"That's true but... you know me. I don't like disappointing people." Cheeks currently stained red (is that because he's blushing or was it from the run?), Roxas faces the doting brunette and wets his lips. The cerulean-eyed teen's super photogenic and well-groomed appearance actually renders Kiri speechless.

"So, uhm, hey there, Kiri."

"...Uhh, hi."

The blue-eyed brunette takes a small step back. "How do I look? I made sure to wear something you'd like." He spent a good hour or so looking through (thrashing) his and Sora's room for the perfect outfit, plus another hour to style his hair right so God forbid he looked anything less than  _perfect_. He may not be a darks person, but the charcoal vest he's wearing over his brother's blue flannel shirt is so comfortable and stylish...

"You... err, y-you look really different. A good different though. I almost t-thought you were Sora..." the blonde replies, the colour of his cheeks darkening further. Oh, is that a positive reaction to his undeniable beauty? Kiri's seen it many a time, either casually or when performing on stage, but darn does it ever stop giving him pride. He giggles sweetly in response, feeling confident enough to wrap an arm around Roxas' own.

"Thaaanks~ You look good too. Uwaaah, I'm so excited to take you places!" he beams. "I'm sure you've been uptown already, but do you ever hang around downtown? It's super busy since it's mostly market territory but they have this great ice cream parlour I love visiting."

"The place that sells sea-salt ice cream, right?"

"That's the one. Are you ready to go?" They both smile at one another before Kiri begins to lead the way, the latter already inwardly revelling in what he believes will be a prosperous,  _stalkerless_  date.

**~o~**

As the common phrase goes: _where there is a will, there is a way_ , and there is indeed a will and therefore a way to spy on Kiri's superfluous means to court one oblivious Roxas Strife. After a Cinderella-like morning spent tidying the house, the three other Leonhart quadruplets get themselves dressed and aboard a bus heading to Twilight's popular downtown area. Kiri's mistake is boasting in Yuuki's note that he'd be stuffing his face full of ice cream for the majority of the day, and where else is THE place to get ice cream but Twilight's most esteemed ice cream parlour?

They weren't really going out for the purpose of going out, so Yuuki, Chie and Sora appear about as casual as they are in their respective colour aesthetics. That is, except for the hoodies and smart sunglasses they're hiding under. Their youngest brother has a keen eye for people, meaning their spiky brown hair and identical blue eyes make for distinct giveaways to their identity. On Chie's lead, they advance towards the front of the parlour, stopping to sit at the outermost table edged by the window.

Their targets are sitting opposite one another inside the establishment at the second nearest table by the entrance. It's the tallest Leonhart who speaks first, grumbling about not being able to pick up snippets of Roxas and Kiri's conversation.

"Chi, aren't we a little too distant? We can't hear anything if there is glass literally separating us from them," he mutters matter-of-factly while adjusting his red hoodie straps.

"You are aware that entering said parlour will draw attention to us? There's a bell that signals new arrivals just above the door. We cannot be seen."

"How are we supposed to listen in then?" Sora adds, his attention towards his baby brother and the stunning blonde not far from them. They look like a picture perfect couple already...

There are plenty of times he can recall being overshadowed by Kiri, and this impromptu date with his crush merely adds salt to the wound.

Ï knew I'd need this one day." Chie whispers to himself. Fishing out his phone from his pocket, the intelligent brunette then unlocks it and places it screen-up on the table. "My Cyber Security Club has been working studiously to develop this application to its full potential. For the entirety of the previous year, my co-leader Pence wanted to know if it was possible to listen in to real-time conversations via one's mobile device."

He points to an app of minimal design. "I shall demonstrate its functions to you right now. Appearance wise, it looks like an ordinary application used for chatting and calling but..."

Chie swipes to the right three times before the screen displays a simplistic contact page on Kiri. Pressing the call button once, the three wait for a miracle before their annoyed brother from inside the parlour picks up. _"Bigger bro Chi, I'm kind of busy. I'll see you later."_ Then the call ends.

Hook, line and sinker.

"I don't get it." doubts the athletic Leonhart. "You just **called**  him. He turned it off so it's not like we can hear him now."

_"Was it alright that you did that? It could have been an important call..."_

_"Don't worry. Chie won't get mad at me. Sorry I had to take it. You were talking about the council...?"_

"OH MY GOD." Sora gasps. "Chi, how—"

The boy clasps his hands together, pleased that his plan had worked. "To put it simply, this application uses the microphone to listen in to conversations, much like the purpose of a normal call. Having him pick up my "call" activates his microphone; the most important step to its success. You can choose two settings — transcribed voice to text which uses an internet server to jot down one's conversation word for word or voice to voice, which utilizes this application's user interface. Isn't it mind-blowing how terrifying technology can be? As long as you have one's contact and this very application installed on their phone, which, I unfortunately have with all three of you—"

Yuuki tilts his sunglasses to glare at his brother, "Are you kidding me!  _When_  did you do that?!"

"—I can listen in to any of your conversations without your knowledge. Of course, I would like to disclaim that such an eavesdropping tactic is highly unethical for popular applications so you can rest easy that they are not allowed to do the same."

Sora bites the inside of his cheek. Bless his soul. Chie Leonhart isn't nicknamed a brunette genius for nothing.

.

.

Inside the parlour, Kiri turns his charm on as he chats up the current student council treasurer. Listening to Roxas talk about school is great and all, but studying the blonde's body language fascinates him more. Already, Kiri knows from his movements alone when Roxas is annoyed, what he looks like when he's truly excited and how he feels about hanging out with him. And of course, there's the bonus of watching Roxas eat ice cream. Kiri ordered double-flavoured sundaes for the both of them but cunningly made sure they'd be sharing from a giant glass.

"Are you really sure about the makeover, Kiri? I could contribute half; that wouldn't be a problem..." the blonde worries, sucking on his spoonful of vanilla.

"I'm sure. Auntie Larxene knows everything about hair and dermal therapy. And since I'm a regular, I can talk my way to a discount~" he responds. "She's the reason my skin's always glowing! And I know you already look like a model but if we revamp your hair a bit, you'll feel a hundred times better."

" _Ahaha_... I do like the sound of getting a haircut. I'm just a little fussy with people messing it up." Embarrassed, he grabs another bite of their quickly melting dessert. Yuuki and Chie would have never gotten as far as to illicit the many sides of Roxas on their own. If only they could see him now...

Moving on to the next part of his courting, Kiri clumsily takes a spoonful of chocolate and accidentally on purpose misses his own mouth when he eats. Part of the boy's charisma stems from his ability to understand people. The brown-haired teen's already impressed his companion with his confidence and knowledge, so the only thing that's left is to appear vulnerable and human. The perfect equation to appear trustworthy, really.

"Ahh! I spilled the ice cream all over my shirt! Nooo... my outfit is ruined!" he pouts, letting out a small sob. It works most of the time, because as expected, Roxas immediately reacts and hands him a tissue to wipe himself with.

"Yikes. Chocolate stains are the worst! Good thing you're wearing dark clothes, Kiri." (From outside the establishment, Sora clenches his fist. THOSE WERE HIS CLOTHES, DAMN IT! Laundry isn't an easy chore!)

"I was s-so excited b-being with you that I can't help being clumsy...! I'm s-s-sorry! I look like a fool..." ("God, he's such a spoiled brat!" seethes Yuuki under his disguise. Were they even RELATED? No Leonhart could be that diabolical!)

Roxas, being the nice person he is, quickly falls into the boy's trap by standing up and crossing the table to sit beside Kiri. He leans forward and gently squeezes the brunette's shoulder, muttering, "Hey, hey now. You don't have to be upset. It's just a stain, okay?" (Chie rolls his eyes, astounded that the blonde could give in so easily. Surely he could see manipulation at the source? The Strife teen may be kind but this is all too much! The youngest brunette has successful played him! Just like he plays everyone else!)

"Y-You're not m-mad?"

"That's absurd. Why would I be mad?" Kiri looks down at his hands, blinking rapidly. Unintelligent mutters fall from his lips to sell his role all the more.

"Chin up, then." Roxas coos. "How about we leave now and have that makeover? You can borrow my jumper to cover it up too, if you want."

"You'd r-really do that?"

"Of course. So don't be sad anymore, alright?"

...

That was how the two walked out of the building that afternoon: Kiri staying close to the cerulean-eyed teen while Roxas warily looked after him. The adorable brunette got exactly what he was going for, the nerve. Though they were displeased with their brother's scheming ways, Chie, Yuuki and Sora continue to follow the duo to observe the happenings at Larxene's Salon.

**~o~**

"Tell me more about you, Roxas," pleads Kiri Leonhart, sitting in the background on a wheeled chair he can swing around in while he overlooks his favourite salon lady work on his current beloved. He's still wearing the other's jacket, musked with strawberries and vanilla and something so completely Roxas. The azure-eyed teen catches the questioning glint in Larxene's eyes from the spotless mirror in front of them, knowing full well that she's going to grill him for details later about what happened with Axel and why he's moved on to someone else after weeks of pining.

Attempting to act inconspicuous are the three identical brunettes hanging around by the set of stairs leading to the salon. Sora couldn't care less what was happening anymore; he just wished deep down that Kiri wouldn't treat Roxas as he had with Yuuki's former crush. For as long as he could remember, not once has their baby brother ever failed in his wild schemes. Against Chie? Kiri would win. Against Yuuki? Well, there's already proof of that.

He was just _that_  good.

The alleyway leading to Larxene's was somewhat secluded, so being out of place was the least of their worries.

"I bet thirty bucks Kiri will confess before three pm." Yuuki snorts, annoyed. "Meet, Manipulate, Ensnare and Confide. Stupid brother of ours."

"You talk as though you aren't guilty of a similar tactic. Whatever did you do with the Snickers bar,  _Yuuki dearest?_ " teases Chie. "Did you dispose of it somehow?"

" **Shut it!**  It's a gift so I'm going to eat it! Maybe I'll reduce it into sauce and put it in a drink. Ugh,  _caramel_..."

 _"Is there anything else you'd like to know?"_ Roxas' voice from the second-born's phone goes, this time a little muffled as the two are sitting distantly from one another.

After watching his two eldest brothers' attempts, Kiri is aware that they hadn't tried to get to know the blue-eyed blonde at all. There is a story beyond the face, beyond the talent and the name, and he wants to be the first brother to hear of it. People are, after all, more likely to open up to you if you're willing to listen to them. That very fact wasn't rocket science.

"I know you don't like studying as much as you let on, hnn. Keeping up with fitness is quite hard for you and so is trying to attend to all your council duties. It's like... you're constantly trying to please people. Must be tiring."

Snip, snip. A curly piece of hair falls to the ground, its flaxen colour fading at the ends. "You got  _all that_  from my rambling?" Roxas raises a brow.

"Uh-huh. I'm smarter than I look, you know. Do you have a favourite snack? What does your room look like?"

Blinking at his own reflection, the former thinks of something to say back. "Erm. Well, I really like sweets. Anything sticky like taffy or caramel since I always need a hit of sugar. My room's nothing special though. Cream walls, school timetables and calendars. Photos of friends and my brother, books all over the floor."

Kiri reacts by forming an O-shape with his mouth. That's... something  _new_. "You have a brother?"

"Oh, uhm, yeah.  _Older_. My parents naturally like him better than me because he's everything that I am not. Harsh."

Asking him to turn his head a bit, Larxene contributes to the conversation. "Looks like you two have something in common, then." She checks the mirror, then Roxas' hair, trimming a few millimetres off his fringe. "Kiri undoubtedly looks up to Yuuki, Chie  _and_  Sora. He thinks being the runt of the litter means he has to one-up his older siblings in every way just to stand out but, he really does love them deep down. You'd never abandon them, won't you, love?"

Breaking character to complain, the brunette exclaims, "Auntie! I'm cute but I'm not a baby! I may be a quadruplet but I'm still the best! Hmph!"

"Oh you are the **best** , hon. But you can't deny that being a sibling has its advantages. Let me guess, your brothers are at home doing chores again...? How spoiled you are." the woman chuckles, close to finishing her duties. "You best be careful and watch your back, Roxas. This Leonhart is quite a handful."

"Thanks for the advice, auntie."

Listening in the background also, Chie and Yuuki exchange glances before training their eyes on the very quiet third-born sitting on the alleyway steps. Kiri wouldn't let himself be beaten. He continues to bicker with the salon lady about who was the most endearing of all four, Roxas nervously laughing with them.

Today really isn't like the past two encounters. What their youngest sibling wants is to win, making him the most commendable candidate for Roxas' heart. And who could blame the Strife teen for admiring the boy? Kiri is calculating, charismatic, confident... The real question was, why wouldn't he?

Attempting to busy himself, Sora blankly traces patterns on the glass by his right; the wall of another shop. It's not as difficult to accept the reality of the situation since he was already aware of it from the start. Still sucks, though. From behind him, Chie crouches and lets Sora lean against him for moral support.

He covers his face to hide the incoming tears, not wanting to let the other two know how upsetting this is for him. Thank goodness for sunglasses, right? But he still feels his emotions are visible under them.

"Y-You've still got a chance, Sor. I'm sure w-whatever's going on there isn't final..." asserts the tallest Leonhart. Too bad he doesn't get the desired hopeful reaction from his sibling when Sora merely turns to him, pursing his lips tightly.

"It's alright. K-Kiri already has this round. Don't you see how happy they are in there, Yuu?"

.

.

...They really do look  _happy_  beyond the salon's see-through walls. Larxene, superb beauty stylist she was, should be given an award because she's styled the blonde's hair in a way that makes him look both sophisticated AND fashionable. The future council president doesn't even recognize himself, feeling giddy about his new appearance. He thanks the green-eyed woman fervently and throws an arm around Kiri, surprising the adorable brunette.

" _I knew you'd look a hundred times better._ " Kiri brags. " _You're super ready for the poll on Monday! You'll win it for sure, nya!_ "

" _It's all thanks to you, Kiri. Even if I don't win the position, I'm glad you invited me out today._ " Humble as always, Roxas takes Kiri's hands in his to express his gratitude. " _I really enjoyed hanging with you._ "

" _Heehee. I did too_."

Despite not looking like it, Sora is pleased. It's unfortunate for him, but truly he's _pleased_  that both his little brother and the boy he's had a crush on since forever have found happiness in each other...

 **Maybe.**  It may take some time to accept it. Good thing he's not alone in that alleyway because he has Yuuki and Chie to fall back on, patting and mussing up his unhooded hair.

"I suppose this concludes our game of chance. Shall we three return home then?"

Their athletic brother sighs. "Aww man. I really hoped for sure Sora would be the one. Seriously going to kick Kiri's arse when he arrives."

"Don't do that," berates Sora. "No, actually I take it back. Maybe do  _that_  because I can't believe our youngest brother is going to leave us now. It'll just be us three at home.  _Traitor._ "

"That would only be probable if Kiri could indeed keep a relationship. And he should, because I know you'll kill him for it." Chie is quick to add. The Leonhart brothers follow their trail back to the nearest bus stop, joking around to themselves.

"We all will."

...

But the day is not yet over. Still standing around by the salon is Roxas Strife and the youngest of the quadruplets, bidding their farewells to Larxene. Heart hammering wildly in his chest, Kiri never tires of the warm feeling he gets before confessing the crush he's developed on someone. He has to do it soon. It's the best, most Kiri-like way to end a date. And because the relation of Twilight Town's timezone to daylight is really one of a kind, sundown is closer than one may think. They exit the salon one after the other, the younger teen breathing in deeply to steel himself.

Experienced or not, confessing still has the capability to turn him into nerves.

"It's, uhm, almost sunset, haha. I'll be travelling the other way but we can walk to the market together." Roxas blurts out, suddenly interrupting his companion's inner musings. Ambling slowly towards the steps, the blonde somewhat catches a small glimpse of something that interests him.

"Y-Yeah! I'd love that." He can't seem to find the best choice of words to express his desire to become something more, as the thought of what to do afterwards suddenly overwhelms him.

He's won.

Again.

And he knew he would, because he always  _does_. Kiri Leonhart would be damned if anyone, even his brothers, ever tried to steal the world's spotlight from him.

...Perhaps this was why winning Axel's heart wasn't as thrilling after he'd done it.  **What now?**

Another person to puppetize, strings winding around his fingers and ready to do his every bidding. Regardless of the people he hurts in the process, it doesn't matter if Kiri takes center stage in the end.

"Uhm, Roxas... there's something I— I n-need to say..."

 _Seriously!_  He's gotten this far! Why is it NOW after all the times he's done this, after all the perfect scheming he had planned to a T? If his kin ever found out he had a conscience, the manipulative demon they all know him as would crumble, and he'd be nothing.

"Your brother was here." the Strife teen says at the same time. Roxas knows this because there's a familiar doodle on the wall adjacent to the stairs, drawn by a finger on the dusty glass. "Or  _brothers_. I'm not so sure but I really feel like they were."

The drama enthusiast begs to differ. " **No.**   _N-No_ , they couldn't have been. H-How d-do you know?" Confession forgotten, he perks up at the admission.

They were actually stalking him this entire time? Even after...

"They must really be protective of you. Mess with one, you mess with all, right?" Roxas jokes, his ears subtly heating up. "It's probably just coincidence. But every time I pass by the music room, there's this cute little drawing of musical notes on the glass door. Like this." The teen points to a joint semiquaver note, tracing over it fondly.

"...big bro  _Sora_." Kiri confirms for him, erasing all traces of doubt in his mind.

Darn. This isn't looking too good for him now. Had he really been this careless? Even the most observant of them all can miss a  _few things_  in the beginning, as Kiri is now finding out.

"You probably think I'm a weirdo for knowing that." the blonde gnaws on his bottom lip, cerulean eyes wandering elsewhere. "Anyway,  _uhm_. You had something you needed to say to me?"

Maybe this entire day was a  **bad idea** , because Roxas looks absolutely stunning under the natural light. Bright blue eyes full of wonder and admiration, patiently waiting at the third and topmost step near the salon.

He did this. This was all the youngest Leonhart's doing. His puppet strings are unravelling at the decision he's about to make.

Though it rarely happens to him, Kiri is truly lost for words at the very moment.

But the teen doesn't have to think twice. He leans towards Roxas and whispers his secret, needing no hope or doubt to cloud what he thought was right.

* * *

Another Monday, another typical school week in Twilight Academy. The annual eleventh grade student council position polls are open this recess and lunchtime, meaning students have to make their way to the auditorium for a brief period in order to vote for their desired candidates. Saturday dinner at the Leonhart house was pretty interesting too. Up until the next day, all their baby brother would do is sigh and swoon, his ecstatic mood contagious to his fond and proud parents.

Yuuki, Chie and Sora don't even want to know the details. The three have happily bonded over late night movies and mutually mocking their despicable sibling.

"Big bro Sora! Are you going to practice violin at lunchtime?" Kiri inquires while they make their way to their cafeteria table to meet the other two. Their class had just finished Physical Education, the dreaded beep test already forgotten.

Sora deadpans, "The music room is mine on Monday, Kir. You know that."

"Ya, of course! So I was thinking, maybe all four of us can go and vote for Roxas together—"

Oh yeah. Right.  **The polls.**  Just because Sora needs to move on, doesn't mean he won't want to vote for the candidate he wants to win. He thinks about an appropriate time to do so, maybe strictly before the recess bell or at the beginning of lunch before heading to the music room by himself. Too bad Kiri has decided for the both of them. The former drags him at the direction of the school hall, extremely adamant to get there immediately.

"H-Hey! Can y-you stop pulling me, that's my good arm!" he tells the aspiring drama star. "I need this for my performance next week, thanks!"

"Yeah, yeah, you finally have first chair in strings, nya. You stay here then because I still need to go get biggest bro Yuu and bigger bro Chi! Do not leave!" He then lets go and runs the opposite way, stopping in his tracks to check Sora wasn't moving anywhere before disappearing.

...Isn't Kiri being a little bit  _too supportive_  of Roxas? He has the entire day to do it, for goodness sake.

Ten minutes later, the youngest Leonhart doesn't return with the other two, meaning Sora had to cast his vote alone. Absolute waste of time, of course Kiri would think it funny to leave him hanging.

He knows his brother well enough to be aware when the conniving brunette is scheming yet another one of his plans. Whatever it is, he's not keen to be a part of it. Good thing he won't have to see his siblings again until after fifth period, what with having different electives and following up with his plan to practice today.

**~o~**

Up in the third floor music room, Sora is setting up his workspace.

He fetches one of the music note stands and adjusts it to his height before situating it near one of the room corners. Right between the table of many keyboards and the wall of hanging guitars was the musically-talented brunette's favourite spot. He doesn't like the middle of the room because there's too much space there, and working by the corner reminds him of his own practice area at home.

With the door directly in front of him, he can clearly see whoever would want to come in and disturb him (cough cough, Kiri) and give them hell for it later. For now, he'll be tuning his violin and browsing through the first few pages of this piece, playing it before getting into the actual orchestral program.

He knows this one well. He composed it. Sora wanted a piece incorporating diminuendos and crescendos, piano and forte notes juxtapositioned within four minutes. Classical music needs no lyrics, but he has a good melody and harmony for it just in case. When he's got everything set up around him, he starts singing weakly, drawing the bow against the stringed instrument as lightly as possible.

Sitting with a clear view of the door was sort of pointless now, because when he plays, he's transported into his own little world, where it was just him, and he didn't have to worry about being unique or better than anyone else. Sora unsurprisingly doesn't notice the person knocking from outside — blue eyes closed, absorbing every note in his mind and feeling how much they ring true with his soul. After hours and hours of dedication to band, he's finally going to be leading in strings. Sora never cared much about doing solos on his own, choosing instead to blend into the background and be part of the team. The spotlight isn't for someone like him.

He continues to sing and play his heart out while his hands do all the work, deft fingers pressing hard against his violin strings when he reaches the most important part of the song. There is so much in this piece that reminds him just how versatile music is. You can tell a story with it. Connect with other people with it. It can make you feel emotions you didn't even know existed; it can make you fearful, melancholic, austere.

Sora's visitor decides to knock once more, waiting a minute longer before excusing himself and entering the room anyway. He leans on the glass door as he listens, ready to leave at any time in case his company was unwanted. The other three waiting outside give him reassuring nods every now and then.

Then he claps.

He claps when Sora finishes his performance on a long note, absolutely in awe at the boy who seems so quiet but has the capability to deliver such a powerful piece. It's only then that Sora notices that someone has indeed come into the room like he'd anticipated, leaving him just a little bit  _irked_.

Gloating slightly from the applause, he turns to his note stand to flip his booklet to the first orchestral piece. "Okay, okay. I know you like hearing me play, Kiri, but can you please go away while I'm practicing? I can't think when you're in here."

"Not Kiri," the person replies with a whisper.

Instead of his nosy baby brother, the brunette realizes sooner or later that the very someone who's come to disturb him is a certain pretty blonde from the student council.

"Oh." Sora momentarily freezes.

...W-W-What is Roxas Strife doing in the music room? S-Shouldn't he be down at the auditorium waiting on the poll results? Just as the blue-eyed teen is about to ask, Roxas apologizes for his impromptu visit.

" _Sorry._.. I, uhm, know I'm not supposed to be here. But I was passing by and I really just had to come in and tell you how great you are... I've never heard that one before. What's it called?"

...Confused but willing to go along with it, Sora responds, "I d-don't know. I didn't write a title for it yet." Seriously, what in the world is Roxas doing here? He puts his instrument down with care and sidesteps the blonde to have a clear view of the door, suspicious of his siblings. God, as if Kiri couldn't rub his success any further into his face.

Roxas nods curtly, taking a deep breath before crossing the room to get closer. "I'm, err... sort of hiding away, ahaha. Nervous about the council results. Can I hang here for a while?"

Well, that makes sense. Roxas looks more rattled than Sora's ever seen him before, and the brunette would know because he  _watches_  him constantly. It's also odd how unrattled he is in contrast — had it been any other day, Sora wouldn't have been able to speak a  _word_  in fear of looking like a fool in front of the boy he likes.

After looking around some, the cerulean-eyed teen settles before one of the keyboards behind his practice workspace. He positions himself at the centre of it, fingers tapping on the white keys as though testing them. "Mind if I play with you? I could accompany you or something."

"Y-You can play k-keyboard too?"

Grinning widely at him, the blonde answers, "Actually, no. I can barely read notes. I'd love to learn how to while I'm here, though."

.

.

.

Wait.

D-Does that m— Was that a request? Heavens, perhaps this was his  _chance_  to show him something worthwhile _._ How coincidental it must be that Roxas actually wanted to learn music, the only one thing he can claim as his own. But n-no,  **no** , what about Kiri, hadn't he already—

Still.

...There was something about the way Roxas was looking at him with gentle eyes, patient and ready for what he has to offer.

"You want me to... give you a lesson?" Sora goes, chewing on his bottom lip anxiously.

"Will you? I'd really appreciate it."

He doesn't have a lesson plan to follow, though. He's not used to showing people how to do things. Simply learning the basic note locations and their names would do, right? It's not what Sora planned for today but he can always practice his part at home. The brunette pulls out two chairs tucked in from the nearest desks and drags them towards their space, handing the other to his companion.

"Alright. We'll, uhh, begin with middle C, as most beginners do." he starts. The brunette is in his element today. If he focuses on that and not how confused he is to have his crush sitting inches away from him, he'll be fine. "For pianists, the most important note to learn is middle C as it is used to reference the positions of the other six notes. The piano has two sets of keys: the white keys, and the black keys. Middle C, a white key, sits to the left of two black keys in the middle of the keyboard." Sora promptly plays the note and checks if the blonde understood him. He's met with a blank expression.

"Uhh, I'm n-not teaching too fast, am I?"

"Hmm?" Roxas blinks back at him. "Oh. Uhm, no. You're doing great! It's alright, I got it." he mutters, blushing a little. Nodding once, the azure-eyed teen continues to go through the seven musical notes with his temporary student; succinctly summarizing flats and sharps, octaves and piano chords. They even share a laugh when Roxas struggles to curl his fingers comfortably.

"N-No, not like that," Sora giggles. "You can't play a piano with stiff fingers. You're gonna have a bad time. Curl them like this." He demonstrates with an almost closed hand.

"Are you sure it's not like this?" The pretty blonde attempts to be funny by bending his fingers like a hag would: all crooked and disfigured. "My precioussss... give me the ring..."

"You're just messing with me now," the Leonhart teen tuts, taking Roxas' hand into his own. He uses both hands to shape his crush's fingers properly, completely unafraid of how close they were huddling together.

Heck, if he could just stay here and never forget this day, Sora would. If he could forget that the Strife teen was probably already with Kiri, he would. He doesn't want to open his eyes and learn that this is all a dream, because for once in his life after years of being overshadowed by his quadruplet brothers, this is the closest he's ever gotten to someone he really, really liked. His heart swells further when Roxas clutches his hands too, breathing in deeply like he would when he needs to steel his nerves. Damn, the new hairstyle really brings out his eyes...

The brunette only remembers to teach again when he carelessly elbows the keyboard, playing a few bad notes.

Roxas keeps staring at their joined hands. "Kiri told me the first music piece you learnt was the Chopsticks duet. It's... it's pretty difficult to play alone, isn't it?"

"At the beginning, yeah. I had to learn the bass and treble parts separately." When had his brother mentioned  _that_? It's such a fond memory of his too... "The bass accompaniment sounds better on piano since treble is more suited to violin. You want to try the easy version?"

"Yeah!"

"You can use both hands for this one. Left thumb on F, right thumb on G. Count three notes from Middle C to get to F and four notes to get to G. We can play without sheet music for now."

"Are you better with them or without?" Roxas asks.

"Both! If you can read notes, you can play anything. But if you can't play by ear either, then you're only half as good a musician." comments the brunette.

Not long after, their quick lesson turns to a fun lunchtime concert between the two of them. Roxas learns fast, but he still struggles with note positions and frequently hits the wrong keys. After three, four, five playthroughs the blonde somewhat memorizes it, prompting Sora to leave him be and try it on his own. In fact, Sora happily jumps in with the violin too, conscious of Roxas' adagio pace. They even attempt a Chopsticks race to see who could play the fastest, Sora winning by an arm's length with six notes per second.

"You are  _so_  amazing," the blue-eyed blonde tells him sincerely when they finish playing. "Really."

The Leonhart teen tucks a piece of hair behind his ear, flattered. "Thanks... you are too..."

Roxas scrunches his nose, bumping him on the side playfully. They seem comfortable enough in other's presence to lace their fingers together, thumbs smoothing the back of each other's palms.

.

.

"Wow. Those two are really getting along," mumbles an amused Yuuki from outside the music room door. Chie, also present for their sneaky reconnaisance, keeps his phone linked to Roxas' (with the CONVERSATION TRACKING APP! Yuuki calls it) so they can listen in from the other side. The mastermind of this round, Kiri Leonhart, makes sure to take lots of pictures so he can use them as blackmail material.

"Of course they get along, nya. They really like each other." the youngest answers, humming a happy tune to himself. "We three never stood a chance from the start. So sad."

"Please," Yuuki rolls his eyes disbelievingly, "You wouldn't have cared whether or not you had a chance. You still tried to steal Rox away! Just like you did with upperclassman Axel! I really liked him, y'know!"

"Aww, still salty about that, huh." Kiri pouts, his shoulders drooping. He snaps another close-up photo before pulling a face and quickly deleting it. "Okaaay, I admit I can be a pain in the backside but I'm making things right now! I want big bro Sora to be happy too..."

"If you both persist in making a ruckus, we will be  _exposed_. Keep it down!"

That nearing sundown after his three brothers had already left for home, Kiri made a promise to Roxas that he'd help him talk to Sora. Disappointment may sting like a bee, but it's a price he's willing to pay for his beloved family. He did have to keep his plan hush-hush so his brother wouldn't snap at him for his seemingly ill intentions. While Sora had been distracted in the auditorium voting, Kiri gathered and briefed his two siblings about  _Operation: Music Room Matchmaking_ ("You would do well to let me be your official scheme namer from this point on," Chie commented at the time.) and how Roxas could get to know the third-born Leonhart through the thing he loves the most.

"Up until this point, we've been the ones wooing Roxas with our distinctive interests. Now we're lending three pairs of helping hands! Big bro Sora just needs a little confidence boost, yes? I believe in him."

Chie shrugs, "That is so. Fortunate for you, Kiri, there will be a  _next time_. I am just absolutely rubbish when it comes to forming relationships. Mayhaps I can only commit myself to a life of knowledge rather than walk the path of fame and many bonds. How disheartening."

"Yeaaaah, that's not funny." the baseball athlete teases, keeping his eye on the time. "Okay, my turn to shine. Gotta run and cast our votes last minute. Give Sor a hug from me if they come out early!"

The other two bid him farewell and shut up for a moment until Roxas speaks again, supposedly telling some kind of story.

.

.

"Hey, can I tell you something?" the blue-eyed blonde whispers.

"Hmm?"

Taking that as a cue to continue, Roxas murmurs, "Well, uhh, before today I'd never have imagined getting to know you and your brothers individually.  _They're quadruplets, you can't have one without the other three,_ I'd hear people say. Chie's the genius who's in every advanced class you could name. Yuuki's the sports athlete who works hard at baseball. Kiri's the cutie and the most talented actor you'll come across." Once they're touching shoulders, they both stay in that position and refuse to pull away.

"Then, there's you. The quiet music prodigy who people often miss. Everyone's so caught up with labelling all of you as quadruplets and that makes it difficult for you to stand out. It gets annoying sometimes, huh?"

Sora says, "From time to time, yes. We do try. We have friends inside and outside of class, but most of the time it's just my brothers and I."

The council treasurer leans in some more and affectionately squeezes Sora's hand in his. "It's not everyday you get let into the Leonhart circle. I'm very happy."

.

.

Yeah.

Sora's very happy too.

But as much as he'd want to keep Roxas by his side and forget about reality, a rational part of him still doesn't understand what's going on. Some random visit whilst he was in the middle of practice. A ten-minute or so music lesson. Suddenly being too friendly with the blonde, with the bonus hand-holding and touching.

His little brother suspiciously leaving him alone at the school hall after promising to return. The school hall where Roxas should probably be, taking responsibility for his position and being present when they begin the ballot counting.

...Oh god, he's completely lost track of time. Everyone is going to hate him for keeping the next council president away from his duties.

Aware that his time with Roxas may be coming to an end, Sora draws in a breath which he hopes will get him through what he's about to do. None of his brothers have attempted the straightforward route yet, have they? It's all just been subtle (well, not so subtle) flirting, and heck, Roxas didn't even have a clue. So if he could at least— If Sora could let the other know just how much today means to him...

Even if Kiri has already won Roxas' heart, he at least deserves to know how Sora feels. Roxas doesn't have to return his feelings. The thought of confessing frightens him, but the idea burns itself so deeply in his mind until he believes that he will never have  _closure_  without it.

"R-R-Roxas..." Dear lord, Sora's so nervous that he's reverted back to stuttering his words. "I... I have to tell you something too..."

His companion tilts his head to one side and hums. "What is it?"

In his agitated state, Sora clutches at Roxas' hands so tightly in an attempt to fight away his anxiety. He's inhaling more air than his lungs need, enough to make his chest constrict and his head go woozy.

Screw it.

He releases his grip on the blonde's hands and clumsily throws himself at him, arms wrapping around Roxas' waist with his head resting on the other teen's shoulder. Roxas is puzzled for a split second, but instantaneously hugs him back. "Roxas, I really like you; oh g-g-god, I've had a m-massive crush on y-you for y-years and I c-can't  _even_ — I'm so s-sorry, if I don't say anything now I don't think I'll ever be able to again, I want you to know that seeing you around always b-brings me so much joy and having you here with me  **right now**  is too much of a d-dream come true..."

He is shaking, shaking so much,  _shaking so much_  that the words just kept coming; how does one handle being with the person they really like, do they stay cool and pretend they feel nothing because there is no way in a million years can Sora do the same. He continues to hyperventilate to the point where Roxas has to pat him slowly and rock him from one side to the other to get him to calm down. "Hey, it's alright. Don't panic, you just need to breathe—"

"I n-need to breathe..."

"That's it. Breathe." He fixes up Sora's fringe and grins, only pulling away enough so they could face one another. "There you go. You've got it."

"I've g-got it," Sora repeats, gradually smiling at the boy in front of him. "S-Sorry. I really thought that was going to be scary."

"No, no, don't be sorry." consoles the blonde. "That was hard thing to do, what you just did. How are you feeling now?"

Undoubtedly feeling much better than a minute ago, Sora gives him a small nod. "Still a little frazzled but otherwise okay. Y-You're taking this so much cooler than I did..."

Roxas makes a sort of guilty expression. He doesn't even have the courage to look at the brunette when he mumbles, "Coolly, ahaha. I guess I have to apologize in advance then... because... I sort of already knew."

 

 

 

Oh.

 

...Of course Roxas knew. It wasn't like Sora tried to be low-key about it. Combine his endless staring during lunch hours... and the unspeakable desperation to stay closeby right now...

He casts his head down to hide his heating face, leaning once more on Roxas' shoulder.

"I also knew... that your brothers were audaciously flirting with me." the latter notes, wrapping his arms more protectively around Sora. "Chie and his funny pick-up lines, and Yuuki with his... advances, if you must. And Kiri, with his charisma. They're all so sweet, I'll admit, but..."

"B-B-But...?" Sora slowly looks up.

The blonde nervously dampens his lips and draws himself near enough so they're touching foreheads. "I already had my eyes on  _you_. I just... couldn't say that to them, though. Can you imagine my surprise when I heard you were a quadruplet? T-Took me a while to find out your name, and for a while all I could think about was the awespiring violinist who played alone where he thought no one would hear." The pair happily rub noses together. "I l-like you too, Sora."

("Kiri, abandon your photo-taking! You must film this, film this right now!")

("Dudes, I'm back! What'd I miss? Fingers crossed Rox gets awarded the position tomorrow! Oh. Oh wow,  _okay_ , they're having a moment, I have no idea if we should even keep watching or...")

("Teehee. Big bro Sora is going to kill us if he finds out we've been spying, fufu.")

"You're not with K-Kiri, Roxas?" the third-born Leonhart has to make sure.

"No, I'm not with Kiri. But I did get a lot of help. If it weren't for him and your older brothers, I would have been too scared to walk through the door." ("Welp, we're screwed; the guy just blew our cover.")

"Heck," the Strife teen also blurts out, "I would have been too scared otherwise to even get to know you. I'm so thankful I got to spend time with them enough last week so I could work up the guts to say hi." Cerulean eyes look away momentarily. "They know you the best. And you're so much braver than I am."

This...  _thing_. Whatever's happening right now. Suddenly it feels all too real. Sora's smiling so hard and feeling Roxas' warmth and hearing the truth to his words; wow, they felt the  **same**  for one another: the tension and sheer happiness that they both cannot contain—

Rather than embracing him until he could feel every beat of the blonde's heart, Sora simply sighs. "This is the first time someone's ever chosen me over my siblings. W-Why me?"

Without hesitation, Roxas answers him, "Because I feel like we're the same. Just two ordinary people doing their everything to become extraordinary." He grabs one of Sora's hands encircling him and plants a soft kiss on the back of his palm. "Go out with me. I'm no math whizz or superhuman or extremely cute or a musical genius but I'll make you happy? Future council president's promise. Yeah?"

Pffft. S-So.. cheesy. It's a good thing Sora's a sucker for non-superhuman, averagely-inteligent, very-cute-but-not-really, beginner-pianist blue-eyed blondes like him.

Yuuki, Chie and Kiri only stuck around long enough to hear their quadruplet say yes.

* * *

Roxas got the win.

The following day was a milestone to remember — Sora's brothers looking out for him at the sidelines while he exchanged hugs and held hands with the incredibly more popular, extraordinary but ordinary Strife teen. Yes, they've all had their share of crushes and dates over the years, but none of them has actually succeeded with the whole  _boyfriends-and-girlfriends_  kind of thing. How does one stay together and continue having feelings for someone after finally getting what they were after? It sounds like a ridiculous thing to ask but the Leonharts had always been like that: distrusting and wary of others.

It was high time for them to stop their fruitless competitions for people's feelings and start viewing others outside their circle as allies. They will always be quadruplets, and always be referred to as such. But it doesn't mean they're completely the same. They have several talents distinct from one another, and even the slightest of physical differences. Sora would like to believe he clapped the loudest when they called out the blonde's name during their afternoon assembly, extremely proud even though he knew deep down there was no doubt that Roxas wouldn't get it.

Brandishing his newly polished "Student Council President" badge pinned to his chest, Roxas finds his friends and the four Leonharts amongst the sea of eleventh graders. He humbly nods and welcomes his friends' handshakes and congratulations before making his way to the latter group, beaming.

"I won by three votes. Pretty lucky, huh?" he informs Yuuki, leading the way towards the drop-off and pick-up zone.

"It could have been us, or it couldn't have been, but I'd like to believe that was my doing," the eldest Leonhart responds. "You owe me now."

"Yuu!" Sora gives him a hard look. "Be nice!"

"I am nice. Is it bad to want something in return?"

Chie and Kiri both cackle at that, knowing full well what the other is thinking. "Sure, sure. Hey Roxy, biggest bro Yuuki wants another Snickers bar, it seems. You have one handy?"

"Oh yeah. I sure do."

"NOOOOO!" the former protests. "No Snickers bars! I don't want any; forget I said anything!"

Snickering quietly, Sora strides forward to catch up with the blonde and wordlessly seeks out the other's hand. They only stop walking once they reach the sidewalk, savouring their time together before they get picked up.

"You free this weekend, Sora?" asks Roxas, lifting the brunette's hand to his lips once more. He seems to be fond of doing that.

"Mhmm, no. I have to practice for next week's band performance. W-Would you like to come over at our place instead?"

"Dandy!" Chie interrupts. "Perhaps you'd like to see my astounding planetary figurines and book collection! I've been waiting eons for the opportunity to share it with someone who understands the beauty of knowledge. Do come."

"Sure, why not," the cerulean-eyed teen tells him gladly. "I'll bring something to eat when I come over."

Not even fifteen minutes from the afterschool bell, all five boys spot Roxas' ride approaching them. There's an individual at the backseat waving a hand out the window, then poking his head out carelessly.

"Little brother Roxas!" the guy exclaims fondly. "Heeeeey! I got dismissed from school early so I've decided to come with Mother to fetch you too! Heeeey!"

"Oh my  _god_ , please don't pay attention to him," Roxas tenses up a hundred-fold, panicking suddenly and letting Sora go to pace around. "I have no idea what he's talking about."

"Roxas...?"

"Did you get the president role? You better have because if not, I will have to book an appointment with the school staff! Heeeeey! DON'T IGNORE ME!"

Four brunette heads turn to the source of the shouting, and... oddly enough, they're met with... an  **exact replica**  of the blue-eyed blonde. The same spiky golden hair. The same electric blue eyes. Chie, Yuuki, Kiri and Sora are looking back and forth the stranger and their friend beside them, making mental comparisons.

"Yikes," Roxas grinds his teeth agitatedly, "Did I mention I was born a twin? W-Whoops..."

 

 

 

What?

 

 

 

Well, it wasn't like... the Leonharts asked, so there couldn't have been any form of betrayal...?! W-Wow, not even Kiri would have seen that one coming. Said stranger steps out of the car and eagerly introduces himself to the group, his stature just a little bit taller than the younger Roxas.

"Hallo! My name's Ventus, Ven for short. Which one of you's Sora?" he tuts cheerfully, mindlessly adjusting the pair of spectacles upon his face. Then the guy carefully looks at Chie. "Are you Sora? You're really cute."

"The cutest one would be me!" Kiri hisses, offended. The second-born Leonhart is too lost for words to even retort back. Thankfully Roxas steps in and pushes back his forthcoming... twin (oh my god? TWIN!), barricading the other four from him.

"Ven, why are you here? I told you never to come to my school! Why are you like this?" Roxas grumbles, face in his hands. The silent Sora steps closer behind him, somewhat worried.

"Whaa? I can't come over to congratulate you? But I never see you anymoooore! Okay, so maybe we see each other everyday and we kind of live together but... why must you hate me so?" Ven faux-cries, only to switch back to his happy persona moments later. "I made caramel cake! Oh, if only I wasn't such a prodigy, we could go to the same prestigious school... Ugh, endless viola lessons _here_ , quantum mechanics and astronomy  _there_ ; tailored  _olympic training_ ,  _art lessons_ , mundane  _Shakespearean plays..._ "

"So... you're like the super version of Roxas? Who goes to a... genius school?" Yuuki can't help but wonder.

"He isn't!", "Yuuki, rude!" and "I wouldn't say I'm the super version..." are the replies made by Roxas, Sora and Ventus respectively. Knowing full well he can't do anything about it now, the younger blonde rolls his eyes and shrugs defeatedly. "Ven — Sora, Kiri, Chie and Yuuki. Sora, Kiri, Chie, Yuuki, this is Ven. My twin. For your information, Yuuki's the taller one. Chie has the straightest locks of hair. Kiri's got fairer skin and Sora—" he protectively grabs the boy's hand, "is the quiet one. And he's also mine. Now can we go? We'll take this conversation home, thanks."

He shoos the boy back towards the car where their mother is waiting before turning to the others to say goodbye. "I won't be bringing caramel cakes on Saturday, I can assure you all that. Sorry about him. I should have said something earlier."

Sora's brothers give him a nod before huddling amongst each other in some kind of secret conversation. That leaves the third-born brunette alone with the already flustered Strife teen.

"Now I know what you mean by you feeling ordinary..." he dares to say, helping himself to yet another hug. "Ven seems nice. I guess you and I really are the same."

Roxas frowns. "Y-You're not going to c-choose him over me now, are you?"

"Nope. The one I like has to be you." Sora pouts, letting go of the blonde. "I can't say the same about my brothers, though." He looks back at their three-person huddle, already picking up snippets of "I'm so going to impress him with my sexiness this time around" and "Nuh-uh! Venny is mine!" and "My calculations prove otherwise; the likelihood of Ventus falling for yours truly is one hundred percent certain".

"See you tomorrow, Roxas." the brunette mutters, waving and contentedly watching the taller blonde enter the car. Seeing the twins bicker inside the moving vehicle makes his heart flutter all the more, still feeling fortunate that he'd been the one chosen.

It seems that there are many people out there in the world who are most likely in the same shoes as he is. Just like Roxas. Just like plenty other strangers who are either twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets. The fight to stand out but still be one out of four, to find out what it means to be extraordinary but still be sitting along the bordelines of normality. Sora would not change a thing. The family he has now is a family he loves, and wouldn't deny despite all odds.

He's just like a lot of people with siblings.

But not one of those individuals will know brothers like his, and truly appreciate just how special their quadruplet bond means to him.

 


End file.
